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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 10: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, talks with crew chief Kevin Meendering during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 10: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, talks with crew chief Kevin Meendering during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
With the turn of the 2020s, it looks like it is a time when the old guard in motorsports is being slowly phased out. At the end of the 2020 season, Jimmie Johnson announced his retirement from the NASCAR Cup Series. A year later, Kimi Raikkonen and Valentino Rossi departed from Formula One and MotoGP respectively. Now, Sebastian Vettel has announced that he is retiring at the end of the 2022 season.
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On the back of Vettel’s announcement, Johnson posted a picture of himself and the German. He wrote, “Congratulations on an amazing career, my friend. I hope you’re more successful at retiring than I am.” Without a doubt, it was a sly dig at himself, judging by how his IndyCar career is panning out. It is safe to say that Johnson is not exactly setting the stage on fire, though he has had a couple of decent performances.
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Sebastian Vettel and Jimmie Johnson are focusing on their campaigns
Truthfully, both Johnson and Vettel are not performing particularly well at this juncture. Both of them have struggled to run at the front, though they have often scrounged a few points and decent finishes. Currently, there are five races remaining in the 2022 IndyCar Series season. Johnson’s best finish is an excellent 5th place at Iowa, a career-best in the IndyCar arena.
via Reuters
Formula One F1 – Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan – June 10, 2022 Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel during a press conference REUTERS/Murad Sezer
As for Vettel, the Aston Martin driver has a good 10 races remaining before he calls time on his career. Admittedly, Vettel is a full decade younger than Jimmie Johnson. So there may be a slight chance that he may not be completely done with racing as a whole. After all, if Kimi Raikkonen could be coaxed into competing in a one-off NASCAR race, never say never for Vettel. For now, the driver just wants to see out the season and spend time with his family.
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WATCH STORY: Vettel & Mick’s team got knocked out by Jimmie Johnson & Colton Herta
